Lockdown a double fault
I have been a sportsman since 13 years of age, having played tennis, cricket, Australian Rules and golf, all with reasonable results. I am now 81 years of age.
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The comments made by the Victorian Premier, Daniel Andrews are bewildering about the rulings with the relationship to COVID-19 in relation to sport. He first of all outlawed golf in late March suggesting that the situation be reassessed on April 13.
Mr Andrews stated May 11 could be a possible reassessment in both tennis and golf. He on his last comment ruled with an iron fist, no questions were allowed (Trump style).
It is reported that tennis coaching has been allowed for several weeks in NSW but what of Victoria? Competition and social golf is now allowed in Albury.
IN OTHER NEWS:
The reason that I am writing this letter is I am extremely disappointed and frustrated as I am still an active participant (or was) at golf and rely greatly on the generosity of my good friends to 'hitch' a ride in a cart. I am quite prepared to 'cop' that this cannot continue.
However, the main passion in my life in sport has always been coaching tennis, in particular young children. I commenced coaching at 16 years of age at the Albury grasscourts. The only time I had a break from coaching was from aged 26-36 with time spent in Melbourne and supporting three young children.
Since then I returned to coaching in Wodonga tennis on Saturday mornings as well as some days during the week with tennis professionals Peter Dellavodova, Allen Curtis and others. The then president, Geoff Burton, was an outstanding supporter of junior tennis.
In between this time I was the coach at Baranduda tennis club for 11 years.
My love of coaching is just as great as it has ever been, my methods are not old fashioned as I closely study YouTube and use it to good effect as well as my own ideas.
Surely there are other Victorians affected in this way. No golf, no tennis coaching - enjoy your home detention and go insane!
Les Goodfellow, Wodonga
Teams a threat to regions
It is with much apprehension and unease I hear not only of the NZ rugby league team being based at Tamworth but also the possibility of the Melbourne Storm being stationed at Albury. Both NSW regional centres. I believe this to be a very dangerous decision for the following reasons:
a. The national cabinet and state bodies have taken great pains to keep people at home in the last two months and as well discouraged anyone from travelling to regional areas because of the pressure on health centres if there was an outbreak.
b. If this crazy idea has to take precedence over every other Australian having the freedom to move about and return to normal life then all these players and their company should be based in a city. Sydney, Melbourne or Brisbane. In any of these cities, these teams can be looked after very well with accommodation and grounds and also have further advantage of being close to multiple health centres without unfair disadvantage to regional health centres.
c. We all know some footballers think they are above rules no matter how much education they each receive. It will only take one ignorant and irresponsible member to cause a threat to those regional populations.
Using regional centres is a time bomb and in the name of making money the agreeing bodies have certainly not considered the anxiety and threat these actions will cause.
Pure greed. Greed from the hotels and leagues clubs who will be paid for the use of the accommodation and grounds, greed from the NRL and the business of TV rights.
Overpaid football players do not live in the real world. That has been displayed very clearly in the last week. Shame on you after all the lecturing. Shame on us for believing in you. I'm a league fan but a restart can wait. My extended family live in regional centres.